Vegetable Gardening Tips for Beginners

If you have never had a taste of garden-fresh vegetables, you are missing vibrant textures and sweet, juicy flavors. There is absolutely nothing like fresh garden vegetables, especially when you grow them on your garden.

You can easily do it yourself and here are some tips to guide you on vegetable gardening. Whether you are just a beginner or an expert in planting vegetables on a garden or in a pot, these tips will assist you in planning and growing the tastiest vegetables.

Start With a Relatively Small Garden

As a beginner, remember that it is better being proud of a small vegetable garden rather than being frustrated and disappointed with a big one.

A common mistake that many beginner gardeners make is planting too many vegetables and way more that you would eat.

Unless you will want to have some vegetables such as zucchini taking up all the space in your attic, plan carefully and preferable start small.

How and Where to Plant

Plant in a sunny area. Vegetables require an average of 6 hours of sunlight daily. If they receive more direct sunlight, they will grow greener and you will get a great harvest of tasty vegetables.

Ensure you plant in good soil. The roots of plants penetrate more easily into soft soils. Hence, use a good loamy soil and enrich it using compost manure for more nutrients. Ensure there is proper drainage such that water won’t collect on top and it will not drain away quickly.

Space the plants properly. Avoid setting plants too close to reduce competition for nutrients, water, and sunlight. Take note of spacing instructions on seed packets.

Purchase high-quality seeds. Basically, seed packets are cheaper than plants. However, if the seeds fail to germinate, then you will waste your time, money, and efforts. Spend extra cents to buy seeds during spring and enjoy higher yields when harvesting.

The Size of the Garden

As a beginner, the ideal size of a garden for growing vegetables should measure 16 by 10 feet. Start with easy to grow crops. Such a garden would grow vegetables enough to feed four family members for a whole summer season and get some for canning and freezing.

Make 11 rows on the garden, each 10 feet long. They should run south and north for the crops to enjoy maximum sunlight. Plant vegetables that can yield more than a single crop in one season such as beets, cabbage, beans, carrots, spinach, lettuce, kohlrabi, turnips, rutabagas, and radishes.

Ideal Vegetables for a Garden

You can start with checking with a local cooperative firm about the plants that grow best in your area. Also consider planting the vegetables that are difficult to find in grocery stores or what you prefer eating more often. Here are the best vegetables to grown in a garden.

Tomatoes

Zucchini squash

Radishes

Bush beans

Lettuce, Bibb and/or leaf

Carrots

Radishes

Beets

Chard

Marigolds

Peppers

If your garden is extremely large for your vegetable needs, you don’t have to plant vegetables on all 11 rows. You can make the rows shorter or plant on fewer rows. With these tips in mind, vegetable gardening is made easier for beginners.